Cloth folding machine

ABSTRACT

A folding machine, which is displaceable on a table to lay out cloth from a roll to form a stack of folded layers, carries a pluraltiy of further rolls to replace the unwound rolls when they are exhausted. The further rolls are supported in receivers connected to a conveyor, and to transport the further rolls to a carrier device for the roll to be unwound, the conveyor is driven.

I United States Patent 1 1111 3,776,541 Stumpf Dec. 4, 1973 [54] CLOTHFOLDING MACHINE 3,239,211 3/1966 Gilbert 270/31 3,458,185 7/1969 Merrill270/31 IIIVCHKOI'Z Gunter Mehrstetten. 3,260,143 7/1966 Rudgisch et aL27O/3l Krels Munslgefl, Germany 3,404,879 10/1968 Burris 270 30 [22]Filed: July 14 1971 3,567,211 3/1971 Martin 270/31 PP 0 PrimaryExaminerRobert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-A. Heinz [30] ForeignApplication Priority Data Attorney-Erlc H. Waters et a1.

1 2 197 2O 3 127.7 Juy 0 Germany 1 P 6 57 ABSTRACT 52 US. Cl. 270/31 Afolding machine, which is sp aceable on a table to [51] Int. Cl B651129/46 y Out cloth from a r to form a s ck of folded lay- [58] Field ofSearch 8, 5&6 ers, carries a pluraltiy of further rolls to replace theif unwound ro11s when they are exhausted. The further rolls aresupported in receivers connected to a con- 56] References Cit veyor, andto transport the further rolls to a carrier UNITED STATES PATENTS devicefor the roll to be unwound, the conveyor is d 2,148,375 2 1939Krassner.... 270 31 men 3,176,928 4/1965 Saunders 242/58.6 9 Claims, 2Drawing Figures CLOTH FOLDING MACHINE BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Theinvention relates to a cloth folding machine which is displaceable alongthe top of a folding table and has a carrier device for a roll of clothto be unwound.

In course of developments which have taken place recently, it has beendesirable to lay out as rapidly as possible considerable cloth plaitlengths or a plurality of plait packages one after the other on a table.For this purpose, there have been used cloth rolls having a relativelylarge diameter, and a large initial weight.

In many cases, there are limitations in the machines and the weavingoperations which prevent the production of rolls of cloth of largediameter despite the aforesaid requirement to lay large plait length ora plurality of plait packages one after the other on a table. In suchcases, at the present time, after winding-off a standard cloth roll,i.e. a cloth roll having a relatively small diameter, the foldingprocess must be interrupted and it may become necessary to displace themachine over a distance of many meters to the end of the table in orderthat a fresh roll of cloth may be inserted. Thus, when large plaitlengths are required, the folding process for the production of one ormore plait packages must be interrupted several times for veryconsiderable lengths of time.

An object of the invention is to provide a cloth folding machine of theabove-mentioned type to lay out large cloth plait lengths or a pluralityof plait packages one after the other on a folding table without usingcloth rolls of relatively large diameter and without substantialinterruption of the folding operation.

To achieve this objective, the invention contemplates a cloth foldingmachine of the type mentioned at the outset, wherein there is arrangedon the folding machine a cloth roll magazine receiving a plurality ofsupply cloth rolls and a conveyor means for displacing the supply clothrolls to the carrier device.

Consequently, it becomes possible to provide the cloth roll magazinewith a considerable number of supply cloth rolls having conventionaldiameters of approximately to cm and which, therefore, are relativelylight as compared with cloth rolls of large diameter. Then, after theroll of cloth disposed on the carrier device has been wound-off, theconveyor means of the cloth roll magazine is activated in simple mannerin such a way that the next supply cloth roll is transferred from theconveyor to the carrier device. This transfer procedure requires only afew seconds and very few manipulations, so that the folding porcess canbe resumed at the interrupted point after an extremely short time. Thefeeding of the cloth roll magazine with a plurality of cloth rollsrequires only an insignificant increase in time as compared with thehitherto known cloth folding machine having only one carrier device fora cloth roll.

A practical emobdiment of the invention is characterized in that theconveyor is endless and passes on rotatable wheels and is provided withreceiving locations for the supply cloth rolls.

Thus, a further saving of time is achieved, since the conveyor maysimply be allowed to rotate until the desired next supply cloth roll hasbeen displaced to the location for transfer to the carrier device.

it is especially expedient if, according to a further feature of theinvention, the conveyor consists of two chain or cable strands, or thelike, arranged with a spacing somewhat exceeding the width of a roll ofcloth and rotating over pairs of wheels having horizontal axes. Each ofthe strands has oppositely positioned receiving locations for the supplycloth rolls, one of the pairs of wheels being arranged with its axisparallel to the axis of a roll of cloth disposed on the carrier deviceand closely adjacent the carrier device for transfer of a supply clothroll thereto.

An especially considerable saving of time can be achieved if, accordingto a further feature of the invention, the receiving locations formounting the ends of a rod supporting a cloth roll are constructed assubstantially U-shaped plates so secured to the conveyor that theirapertures face upwardly, at least during the transfer of a supply clothroll to the carrier device, the carrier device having grooves which areupwardly open for the mounting of the ends of the cloth holding rod.

A simple construction is achieved if, according to a further feature ofthe invention, the plates are secured to the pivot pins of the chainstrands.

In order that the lower run of the conveyor may be fed with supply clothrolls, without the latter falling out of the plates, according to afurther feature, the plates are so suspended in articulated fashion fromthe conveyor that their apertures always faces upwardly. In thisembodiment, the plates always depend from the chain, so that theirapertures are always in a vertical position and open upwardly.

In most cases, it suffices if the conveyor is manually driven to bringthe next supply cloth roll to the carrier device, for example by meansof a crank.

However, it is also advantageous that the conveyor may be displaceableby means of a power drive. Such drive could, for example, be obtained bythe drive motor of the folding machine.

Furthermore, according to the invention, the cloth folding machine issuitable both for manually operated folding machines and also forsemi-automatic or automatic folding machines. In the first case, theaforementioned manual drive for displacement of the conveyor isexpedient.

It should also be mentioned that, with the aid of the proposed foldingmachine, not only textile materials but alsoleather, plastic and thelike may be laid or plaited.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of afolding machine on which a cloth roll magazine has been fitted, and

FIG. 2 is a section taken along line IIII in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the drawings, reference numeral 1 designates thetable top of a folding table and numeral 2 the supports On the otherlongitudinal side of the folding table, the folding machine 7 carriesnon-profiled travel wheels 9 which travel on the table top 1 in a zonenear the longitudincal edge of the table top.

The folding machine 7 has a carriage 10 which, in order to permitedge-control of the web of cloth 11 to be laidout, is displaceabletransversely with respect to the direction of travel of the foldingmachine 7. For this purpose, the carriage 10 is provided with travelrollers or casters 12 mounted on rails 13 on the folding machine 7. Thetravel rails 13 also have a round profile and the travel rollers 12 arecorrespondingly profiled. In order to make edge-control possible, acorresponding control and drive device of known type controlled byphotocells may be provided on the folding machine 7. The edge-controlmay, however, also be effected by operation of a hand wheel 14 engagingthe carriage 10 or, directly, by manual displacement of the carriage 10.

Mounted on the carriage 10 is a carrier device 15 for a roll of cloth 16to be wound-off. The carrier device 15 consists of a fork-like bearing17 arranged at both ends of the carriage and having grooves 18 which areupwardly open to receive the ends of a cloth holding rod 19 pushedthrough the cloth roll 16 to be unwound.

The cloth web 11 to be wound-off from the roll of cloth 16 first passeson a guide roll 20 on the carriage 10, then on a further guide roll 21of the folding machine 7 and, finally, on a cloth feed roll 22 which isalso attached on the folding machine 7, the guide roll 21 advantageouslyenlarging the wrapping angle of the cloth web 11 on the cloth feed roll22. The cloth feed roll 22 may be driven, in known manner, insynchronism with the speed of the folding machine 7.

Secured underneath the cloth feed roll 22, on the folding machine 7, isa folding head 24 extending along the width of the table and consistingof two folding blades 23a and 23b. The two lower, aligned, longitduinaledges of the folding blades 23a, 23b define between them an elongateslot 25 for passage of the cloth web 11 dropping vertically downwardlyfrom the cloth feed roll 22. The package of plaited cloth already laidout, for example in zig-zag configuration, on the table top 1 has beendesignated 11a.

For the vertical travel of the folding head 24 to accommodate theincreasing height of the plaited package lla, the folding head isvertically guided in suitable and known manner (not shown) and issuspended from a chain or the like on the folding machine 7. Verticaltravel may be effected manually or automatically.

It should also be mentioned that the folding head 24, in known manner,may include a cutting device (not shown) which is displaceable in itslongitudinal direction and by mean of which the plaited cloth webs maybe severed from the roll. In this case, the plaiting or laying-out ofthe plait package is effected in such manner that each plait or layer isdisposed one on the other in the direction of travel.

Mounted on the folding machine 7 is a cloth roll magazine 26 receiving aplurality of supply cloth rolls 16a. For feeding the carrier device 15with cloth rolls, the cloth roll magazine 26 has a conveyor 27 fordisplacing the supply cloth rolls 16a to the carrier device 15.

The conveyor 27 is adapted for being driven and is provided withreceiving means 28 for the cloth rolls 16a.

The conveyor 27 comprises two chain strands 27a and the chain strands27a are mounted, with a transverse spacing somewhat exceeding the widthof a cloth roll 16 or 16a, on wheels 30 arranged in pairs, each on ashaft 29. The chain strands 27a each have oppositely located receivingmeans 28 for the cloth rolls 16a. As is apparent from FIG. 1, the shafts29 of the pairs of wheels 30 are parallel to the axis passing throughcloth holding rod 19 of the roll of cloth 16 and the rightmost shaft 29in FIG. 1 is arranged closely adjacent the carrier device 15 fortransfer of a supply cloth roll 16a to bearing 17.

For engaging the ends of a cloth holding rod 19 pushed through thesupply cloth rolls 16a, the receiving means 28 are designed assubstantially U-shaped plates secured to the conveyor 27 at the pivotpins 32 of the chain strands 27a. The U-shaped plates have apertures ornotches 31 which open outwardly and the plates are positioned on theconveyor 27 to engage the rods 19 on the upper flight of the conveyorand transport the rods and the cloth rolls 16a thereon around therightmost wheels 30 along a curved path to deposit a supply cloth roll16a into the carrier device 15 such that as the conveyor 27 continues tomove the ends of rod 19 of the supply cloth roll 16a are automaticallyand simultaneously mounted in bearings 17 and released from receivingmeans 28.

For displacing the conveyor 27, a hand crank 33 is mounted on the shaft29 of the wheels 30 at the righthand side of FIG. 1.

A switching unit for the drive of the folding machine 7 isdiagrammatically illustrated at 34.

After a cloth roll 16 disposed in the carrier device 15 is completelywound-off, the empty cloth holding rod may be manually extracted insimple manner. However, it is also conceivable to effect removal of theempty cloth holding rod by suitable means arranged on the conveyor 27.

The cloth folding machine according to the invention is also suitablefor rapid roll replacement (if such should be desired) when, forexample, it is required to continue the laying-out of a roll having apredetermined color with a cloth of another color.

What is claimed is:

l. A cloth folding apparatus comprising a folding table, a foldingmachine supported on said table for longitudinal displacement thereonand including a carrier device for holding a first roll of cloth to bewound-off by the machine in an operative position in the course oftravel thereof, said carrier device including bearings having upwardlyopen grooves for receiving the cloth roll, a cloth roll magazine securedto said machine for movement therewith and including support means forreceiving at least one further roll of cloth whereby said further rolltravels with the folding machine along said table, said magazineincluding endless conveyor means on which said support means is mounted,and means for moving the conveyor means to transport the support meanstherewith, said conveyor means being positioned on said machine relativeto said carrier device to transport said support means along a curvedpath proximate said bearings of the carrier device to deposit saidfurther roll into the grooves in said carrier device after removal ofthe first said roll of cloth therefrom.

2. A machine as claimed in claim 1 wherein said conveyor means comprisesa longitudinally displaceable conveyor.

3. A machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein the cloth rolls have equalwidths, said conveyor comprising two strands which are transverselyspaced over a distance somewhat exceeding the width of a cloth roll, andtwo pairs of rotatable conveyor wheels supporting said strands anddriving the same, said support means being mounted in opposition on therespective chains.

4. A machine as claimed in claim 3 wherein said support means aresecured to said strands and are provided with open notches which areoriented to engage the further cloth roll and transport the same overone of the pairs of conveyor wheels for deposit into the grooves in saidcarrier device.

5. A machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein said one pair of conveyorwheels has an axis parallel to said further cloth roll and arrangedclosely adjacent the carrier device, said strands traveling along saidcruved path as they pass on said one pair of conveyor wheels.

6. A machine as claimed in claim 4 wherein said support means comprisesU-shaped plates secured to the conveyor, said plates defining saidnotches.

7. A machine as claimed in claim 6 wherein said strands of the conveyorinclude links and connecting pivot pins, each of said plates beingconnected to two adjacent pivot pins.

8. A machine as claimed in claim 6 wherein each strand carries aplurality of said plates so that the conveyor can support and transporta corresponding plurality of said further rolls of cloth.

9. A machine as claimed in claim 1 comprising manual drive means fordriving said conveyor means.

1. A cloth folding apparatus comprising a folding table, a foldingmachine supported on said table for longitudinal displacement thereonand including a carrier device for holding a first roll of cloth to bewound-off by the machine in an operative position in the course oftravel thereof, said carrier device including bearings having upwardlyopen grooves for receiving the cloth roll, a cloth roll magazine securedto said machine for movement therewith and including support means forreceiving at least one further roll of cloth whereby said further rolltravels with the folding machine along said table, said magazineincluding endless conveyor means on which said support means is mounted,and means for moving the conveyor means to transport the support meanstherewith, said conveyor means being positioned on said machine relativeto said carrier device to transport said support means along a curvedpath proximate said bearings of the carrier device to deposit saidfurther roll into the grooves in said carrier device after removal ofthe first said roll of cloth therefrom.
 2. A machine as claimed in claim1 wherein said conveyor means comprises a longitudinally displaceableconveyor.
 3. A machine as claimed in claim 2 wherein the cloth rollshave equal widths, said conveyor comprising two strands which aretransversely spaced over a distance somewhat exceeding the width of acloth roll, and two pairs of rotatable conveyor wheels supporting saidstrands and driving the same, said support means being mounted inopposition on the respective chains.
 4. A machine as claimed in claim 3wherein said support means are secured to said strands and are providedwith open notches which are oriented to engage the further cloth rolland transport the same over one of the pairs of conveyor wheels fordeposit into the grooves in said carrier device.
 5. A machine as claimedin claim 4 wherein said one pair of conveyor wheels has an axis parallelto said further cloth roll and arranged closely adjacent the carrierdevice, said strands traveling along said cruved path as they pass onsaid one pair of conveyor wheels.
 6. A machine as claimed in claim 4wherein said support means comprises U-shaped plates secured to theconveyor, said plates defining said notches.
 7. A machine as claimed inclaim 6 wherein said strands of the conveyor include links andconnecting pivot pins, each of said plates being connected to twoadjacent pivot pins.
 8. A machine as claimed in claim 6 wherein eachstrand carries a plurality of said plates so that the conveyor cansupport and transport a corresponding plurality of said further rolls ofcloth.
 9. A machine as claimed in claim 1 comprising manual Drive meansfor driving said conveyor means.